Hello everyone and welcome to the history of Byzantium, episode 161.

Not yet, holy Roman emperors.

Last time we talked about why Italy still mattered to Constantinople.

Today we talk about how much Constantinople still mattered in the West.

Yes, we return to the realm of the Franks to find out how things have developed over the past century.

But just like last week, we will be focusing on the big picture rather than the details

and only tracking developments directly related to Byzantium.

Which means that we essentially say goodbye to West Frankia.

Back in 912, we talked about how the Carolingian world developed during the century after

Charlemagne's death. Not only did this mean a division between future France and future Germany,

but the development of dozens of smaller regional power centres.

This was particularly virulent in West Frankia. The kings there had a small personal base

in the north of the country and struggled to expand their holdings.

Everywhere they were surrounded by independent counts and dukes, who they couldn't easily control.

Brittany, Normandy, Burgundy, Aquitaine and Toulouse all boasted independent action throughout this period.

At other times so did Anjou, Flanders, Champagne and Poitier.

What developed here was the middle ages of the popular imagination.

Castles rose to defend smaller and smaller pockets of territory and independent retinues

surrounded the regional nobility. From our point of view, this is significant for the next century

because it will be the small independent armed groups who formed the backbone of the crusading

armies. But for now, West Frankia and Byzantium had little to do with one another.

That's not to say, by the way, that the people of Western Europe were ignorant of Romania or

...